French Bulldog Breed  

              Information  

HEALTH         

 

           Breathing 

1)   Small throat & nose openings makes excessive exercise & heat dangerous to this breed. Their throats can swell during the  strain to get enough air into their body during these situations and the dog can suffocate quickly so be careful when pet is playing  with children outside during warm months. These are not outside dogs and should never be left outside in hot climates for any  period of time-just quick trips to go potty and back inside.

 

There is surgery that can easily correct breathing problems in bulldogs, but it should be done by a specialist surgeon.

 

Should you need help locating such a specialist in your area your breeder should be able to recommend one.   French Bulldog Vet Links  

 

        Anesthesia 

2)  French Bulldogs cannot tolerate intravenous anesthesia and should have pure gas to put them under during surgical procedures-i.e. spaying/neutering, teeth cleaning etc. Isoflurane is the best gas for this use.  Note: A reversible intravenous anesthesia that lasts 20 seconds so the tube for gas may be inserted for gas administration should not be confused with using intravenous anesthesia through out the entire surgery.

Non-Reversible Intravenous anesthesia can easily cause death in this breed.  

 

Smaller tubing such as used for Chihuahua’s is the correct size for gas

 administration. 

To be safe Frenchies should not be put under anesthesia for a lengthy time

until 6 months except in case of an emergency.  

Young Frenchies are more prone to have adverse reactions to anesthesia.

            

         

Teeth Cleaning-  In most cases teeth cleaning at Vet clinics requires the use of anesthesia and is conducted by a vet tech and NOT the veterinarian.  Be sure and ask lots of questions about the clinic's teeth cleaning procedure before leaving your Frenchie in their care. Make sure clinic is aware of the anesthesia issues with this breed and they will use gas instead of intravenous. Also request the vet conduct the cleaning himself or herself to supervise the administration of anesthesia -even if it costs more.

        Mobility 

4)  Due to their “top heavy” weight-some not all, French Bulldogs must be careful going DOWN stairs as they become seniors.

 

This same “top heavy” weight distribution prevents them from swimming if not completely then for any length of time. 

Those who own pools or live near water should be careful and closely supervise their Frenchies when they have access to the water.    

       Medication 

3)  Since Frenchies have small throat openings you must be careful when giving pills that are not chewable.

When giving  oral medications such as pills, place pill in small amount of peanut butter on a butter knife and wipe it on the dogs tongue when they open their mouth.  They will gladly swallow the pill.

        Chew Toys          

5)  French Bulldogs canNOT chew any rawhide or leather/hoof type dog treats -due to their small throat size the raw hide pieces can break off and lodge in their throat.

 

Have plenty of hard nylon chew bones for them to chew in a variety of shapes and sizes. The GaLileo Pettite size nylon bones  are their favorites. The shape is perfect for bulldog mouths. Any hard Nyla Bone product is approved for FBs. 

             

          Pettite is the correct size for this breed.  

                 

 

       These can be purchased for the best price on line at

       http://www.petedge.com/Nylabone-Galileo-TF172.pro

 

         Food 

6)  Puppy food should be fed for this breed for the first 6 months of life. Depending on your FB's metabolism they can transition to adult food at 7-8 months of age.  I feed Purina Pro Plan Lamb & Rice   Puppy or Pro Plan Selects Puppy.

 

Stay away from MEAL based foods such as Nutro or Royal Canin  that are low in nutrients, primarily rice and not suitable for this muscular breed.

            

The top 4 quality dog foods sold everywhere are Pro Plan, ONE, Eukanuba and Natural Balance (sold only at Petco)

             

Remember whenever changing foods to transition in the new food by mixing it with the old so as not to cause upset to the digestive tract. An adult Pro Plan formula such as PP Lamb & Rice or  PP Selects Lamb  Oatmeal will  be suitable when they go off the  puppy. 

 

ALLERGIES 

 

 Should your dog develop any kind of skin irritations and severe scratching-please consult your breeder first for advise since she may have other dogs in her line that have the same allergies and can steer you in the right direction. 

 

Many vets are prone to give steroids,  cortisone  & Derm  Caps to “band aid” the problem instead of treating the source which is either food or environmental (airborne) allergies. Unless you have your dog tested for antigens you  will not know what is  causing the allergic reactions. 

               

The old wives tale of corn causing all the allergy problems with dogs is not true.

 

Just like people more dogs are allergic to airborne antigens such as mold, dust grass etc. rather than food.   In fact, I have a friend whose dog is allergic to humans. :)

 

Even though food allergies less likely it is what is tested for first because it is  less expensive to test for food allergies.

Once allergies are detected the easiest and least expensive route is to try feeding a therapeutic diet of a novel ( not found in other foods like Salmon, Duck or Venison) protein source such as   Pro Plan Sensitive Stomach & Skin or Purina Veterinary Diets HA  is a good place to start to detect if food allergies are the source. Also give 20mg. tablets of Benedryl 3 times a day to cover any airborne antigens. 

If no improvement on therapeutic diets  you need to get your dog formal allergy testing at a specialist who performs a skin test to detect antigens your dog is reacting to.  Then an antigen serum is made for your dog to take weekly to prevent allergic reactions.   NOTE: Testing for allergies using blood work is not effective. I did it and it is a waste of money. Just like with humans the only effective allergy testing is done on the skin.      

  

Is a French Bulldog joining your family?

      Read this page to find out important health issues and all the things

      you need to buy to make your new family member comfortable

      in your home.

Another consideration is whether a male or female would be right for your family dynamic.  There are distinct differences in the personalities of each sex in this breed and the difference is the opposite of other breeds. So don't be surprised when a breeder asks you why you want a male or female-she is only trying to educate you and make sure you get the kind of desired behavior you are expecting from that sex.

 

Females are the boss in this breed (just like humans, ha). The girls are more active and alpha (bossy and stubborn) and I think a little smarter than the boys. Not good cuddlers. Females tend to bark more and have a stronger hunting instinct. Females take much longer to potty train - 6 months to a year old b4 they are potty trained.

 

Males although intelligent are mellow and laid back and more obedient making them easier to potty train and obedience train than the girls. (opposite of other breeds). Potty trained at 4 months. Much more likely to cuddle on the sofa with you.

 

Another consideration is if you already have a dog and it is an alpha dog, a new pet of the opposite sex is generally best to induct into your family. Two dogs of the same sex can co exist nicely provided they both are not alpha.
 

         Containment 

8)  For their own safety all our dogs are crate trained and stay in their wire crate  when we leave our home.  Crates provide your pet with their own private space and provide a sense of security for your pet.

Wire crates with hook on water bowls are the best environment or a Frenchie when the owner is away or it is time to go to bed (if they do not sleep in your bed that is, ha)- They also are an important aid  in potty training.

             

Wire crates are cooler and allow your pet to see out better than the plastic airline crates. For those times your pet wants privacy or warmth you can cover the crate with a towel. 

                

Wire crates allow your pet to see out better than the

plastic airline crates.  The crates also should have a removable bottom pan that you can take out and

clean as needed.

The best metal crates are stainless and made at

Central Metal Crates.

The size for French Bulldogs  measures  24"L x 18"W x 18"H 

 

FB Necessities

Crate Accessories:

Some crates come with their own bottom pan, but the better ones sell them separately so be sure and get a pan bottom for the crate.

. 

        Crate pads can be purchased on line @

        www.PetEdge .com           or           JBpet.com   

 

To see a list of poisonous plants and flowers for DOGS

 

Lastly, a good breeder should offer a written health guarantee of at least a year and conduct veterinary testing and screening  of at least the spines on their pups and breeding dogs to assure new puppy owners they are receiving a healthy, well bred pup.

AKC Breed Standard    This link shows you what a well bred French bulldog should look like.

X-Pen

Another form of confinement that aids in potty training is an X-Pen. It is a wire paneled topless pen you can modify the shape and size of to suit your needs.  I use them indoors when potty training young dogs or to block off access to an area. 

Outside they can be used when you travel to create a large area of confinement on the grass. 

 

To see a list of poisonous FOOD for DOGS

Click Here   

Enjoy your French Bulldog and get ready to embark

on an incredible life experience filled with humor and joy.

Susan Caton

Houston, Tx

 

 

 

Pricing

 Information

 

         Happy Trails Pet Stroller-

           Never leave your pet in the car!

           Folds flat for storage or travel
            Large storage basket for toys, treats, water bottle etc.
              Large 8" wheels for use on smooth and rough terrain
              Durable, breathable mesh provides airflow & visibility
              One-hand fold mechanism - folds in less than 5 seconds.
              Parent tray holds keys, cell phone, beverage, etc.
              Front & back entries zip open for quick, easy access
              tough, water resistant 600 Denier nylon fabric construction.
 

 

Please read as much as you can on this breed's

health issues and personality traits.

A good place to start is the book

Guide to French Bulldogs  -Amazon.com link

 

SOFT Carry on passenger cabin airline crate-

Your Frenchie will fit in the LARGE size and slide under the seat in front of you in the passenger cabin. 

Your grown frenchie will not be able to stand up in it,  but as  long as he can lay down- it will be fine.

 

Soft travel Crate for hotel room -

HOMESTRETCH

The size needed for small to average French bulldogs:

StopGap Small Mesh Crate 24 x 18 x 18     Crate folds up and fits in case.